Musical instrument



MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed Dec. 14 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwuml oo Jassm [:(or BANKS g Mam W y 16, 1929. ,1. LE R. BANKS 1,720,991

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed Dec. 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jassm [E Bay fiA/vks @WW Q The principal object of this invention is to Patented July 16, 1929.

5 UNITED STATES JOSEPH LE BOY BANKS, OEIBALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

were. INSTRUMENT.

Application filed December 14, 1927, Serial No. 239,981. Rama, April 5, 1929'.

ment for mouth organs or harmonicas whereby a music roll of the perforated paper type may be utilized to play the same.

produce a simplified structure from a commercial standpoint without detracting from the effectiveness of play of the instrument.

To this end the invention contemplatesthe provision of two, substantially duplicate shells hinged together, one shell being adapted to carry a reel or spool carrying the music roll to be played, an empty spool to receive the music roll as played in appropriate semi-cylindrical pockets, and the mouth organ. The other shell is provided with similar semi-cylindrical pockets between which is mounted a mouthpiece through which air for playing is supplied to the device. The two'shells when closed upon each other form two parallel cylindrical pockets, with a spool in each, these pockets being connected by a parallel Walledslot. Oneof these. walls'is perforated toffo'rm a tracker bar, the aper tures therein'coinciding with the apertures 1n the mouth organ mouthpiece. The other wall is formedwith an' elongated aperture into which is removably secured a flexible mouthpiece. Agasket between the two shells prevents escape of air except through the tracker bar apertures. A perforated gasket between the tracker bar andthe mouth organ insures the air passing to the proper reed in the harmonica. The removable spools are provided with suitable cranks orhandles so-that the music roll may be Wlound from one to the other and back again.

I have illustrated an embodimentof my invention in the drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 isa planview of a device embody ing my invention. 1 I q Fig.2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig.1. r 6 Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 33 of Fig. .4 is a sectional view "along the line HofFignl.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the music roll. Fig. 6 is an end view of one of the spools.

In these drawings, I'have shown at 1 a half shell provided with two,.semi-cylindrical recesses or pockets 2 and 3 adapted to accommodate spools land 5. 1

Each spool consistsof a terminal disc 6 mounted upon a trunnion or axle 7. Theaxle of the axles is provided with an elongated slot to receive the indented end 10 of the crank 11. This crank passes through bearing 12 and is provided with an encircling spring 13 bearing at one end against the bearing sleeve 12 and at the other against awasher 14 abutting the end 10. Therefore, the crank end 10 is held in the slot in the end of they spool axle under tension of the spring, although the spoolmay be readily removed lwhen desired; Obviously, each spool is so supported at each end that it floats within its cylindrical recess or pocket. f

V In the reel containing shell there is a raised slightly curved portion 15 between the spools which is perforated as at 16 to form a tracker bar as in the usual player piano. Attached to the outside of this shell at each end is a bracket 17 having an inwardly facingslot adapted to receive and hold'the cnd of a mouth organ or harmonica 18f Thismusical' order that air. entering the instrument will be confined to theproper reed chamber; The apertures in tracker bar gasket and harmon ica thus coincide.

The opposing shell likewise isprovided with two semi-cylindrical pockets which when the two shells are closed overlies the spools. Betweenthese two pockets'is' a substantially plane surface 20 which receives in an aperture. therein; a rubber or flexible mouthpiece 21/ The mouthpiece 21 isretained in the aperture by reason of the fact that the wallsof the tube 21 are incut. It will be observed that upon closing the two shells upon the rubber gasket 22 which is secured to the surrounding flange 23 in one of the shells, that an airtight compartment is formed except for the airinlet which com prises the mouth piece, and the air exit through the tracker bar.; A latch 24 is used to make the shells fast- By enclosing the spools within the air com partment a decided improvement results over usualpl'ayer. piano type consisting of an elongatedlpaper sheet and perforated, the pcrfo rations coinciding with the proper aperture in the tracker bar, the extent of the perforation determining the period of time over which the corresponding reed will. be Vlbrated. This player sheet is wound tron] one spool, across the tracker bar and up on the 2(' other spool by manipulation of the handle or crank of the empty spool. Upon completion of theselection, the handle or crank ot the now empty spool is operated so that the sheet, is rewound ready for repetition).

The spool'with its music sheet may obviously be replaced at will by another spool contaim ingl another sheet upon which is recorded an,- other selection. v p

r The flexible mouthpiece has the advantage that by compressing the same with the teeth or lips while playing,vthe flow of air may be varied? and a desirable modulated effect produced'. I e

What is claimed is: V 4 1.. A musical devicecomprising a closed air chamber, a perforated music sheet within the chamber,ainouthorgan securedto the outside of the chamber, means for moving said sheet pastv t-hemouth organ and means to pass air through therolland mouth organ; h i

'2. A. musical device comprising two coinplementary hinged shells, each inclu ding two parallel semi-cylindrical recesses, a spool in each recess-inv one shell, a tracker bar be tween said recesses, a mouth organsecured to the outside of, sa1d shell and between the recesses anda mouthpiece between the recesses in: theother shell. 7

if A musical device comprising two complementary hinged shells, each comprising two parallel semi-cylindrical pockets and ,a flange surrounding the same, the flanges 'being: superimposed upon each other, a gasket between the flanges, meansto secure the two shells together, means in one shell to secure amusic sheet therein, a tracker bar between the pockets in one shell, means to pass a music roll-over the tracker bar,means to se cure a mouth organ. inprOXimity to the tracker bar-and outside one shell and means for passing air through the shells.

4. A musical device comprisingtwo hinged complementary: shells, each including paralleLsemi-cylindrical pockets,:"means in one shell for removably holding two spools,

means without the shell for rotating each spool, a tracker bar formed in the shell wall between'spools, means on the outside of the tracker bar shell for removably holding a 'mouth organ,/means fo'rs'ecuring the two receptioni'ol a. perforated music roll, means on said casingffor securing the same to a mouth organ, said casing having; a series of slots therein corresponding in number and position to-fthe air passages of the mouth organ, means to introduce air to said casing, means to hold the music, roll in the casing, andmeans to actuate the music rollwhen held in saidvcasingh 6.. An attachment for mouth organs comprising casing arranged. to open for the reception of a perforated music roll, means on. said ca'singfor securing-the same to a, mouth organ, saidlcasinghaving a series of slots therein corresponding. in number and posit-ion tothe air passages of the mouth; organ, means to introduce air to said casing, means to hold the musicfrollin the casing, means to actuate the music roll when held in casing, and means to maintain. the music roll undertension in said casingi' i i 7 An attachment for mouth organs haw' 'inga casing including. a pair of'hingedhalves forming when closed aupai r of cylindrical chambers connectedby a narrow slot, means to support a music rollin one'of'said chambers, a Winding. reel in the other chamber, said casing having ase'ries ofslots on one side of said casing overwhich the materialofthe roll passes,. means on said casingtorsupport a mouth organ with'its openings inrregistry with said slotshand a breathtube for introducingair. into said casing] f 1 L a 8'. An attachment for mouth organs have ing a casing includinga pair. ofhi ngedlhalves forming when closed a pair ofcyl'ind i'ical chambers connected by, marrow slot, means to support a music rollinone of said: chain: bers, afwinding reel iinthe other chamber, said casing having a series otfislots on one side of said, casing over. Whichthe material of the roll passes, means on said-casing to support a mouth organ with itslopenings-xin registry with said slots, and a breath tube for introducing air into said casing,,gand. means to maintain the music roll. under ten: sion in saidcasing. 7 v

9. YA. musical. device comprising: a closed air chamber, a perforated music sheet within the: chamber,,a mouthiorgansecured to; the

outside sof the chamber witlrfits mouthpiece adjacent said chamber, they-chamber wall having apertures coinciding with the apert e n h meu hpi ce qt lmeuthiereaa and means without the chamber for moving the music sheet over the chamber apertures, thereby controlling the passage of air through the mouth organ.

10. A musical device comprising a closed air chamber, a perforated music sheet Within the chamber, the chamber having a series of apertures in its walls, a mouth organ having its mouthpiece in proximity to said apertures, means to pass the music sheet over said apertures and means whereby air may be caused to pass through the music sheet, apertures and mouth organ.

1.1. A musical instrument compris ng a casing of two separable sections forming means disposed in the re-entrant space formed by said re-entrant wall between said pockets, said narrow passage having thereat a tracker board surface, substantially as described.

12. A musical instrument. comprising a casing of two separable members forming when closed a pair of pockets spaced apart and connected by a narrow passage, means for moving a perforated note sheet from one pocket to the other through said narrow passage, each of said separable members having a reentrant wall between its pocketed portions, said walls defining said narrow passage, one of said walls carrying a mouth piece and the other of said walls being perforated to form a tracker board surface, and reed plates supported on the outer side ofthe perforated reentrant wall, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH LE ROY BANKS. 

